Bottle crate brace



Dec. 13, 1932. J K-'1 MA JR BOTTLE CRATE BRACE Filed March 14, 1950 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 13, 1932 PATENT; OFFICE JOHN F. MAURER, JR., 036 NORTH BERGEN, NEW JERSEY BOTTLE CRATE BRACE Application filed March 14, 1930. Serial No. 435,925.

This invention relates to bottle crates, and has particular reference to an improved medial cross brace therefor.

Due to the fact that the side and end walls of crates of this character are constructed of wood, the lower ends are subject to considerable wear, and, hence, cross braces which are attached by means which extends through the side walls adjacent the lower ends, weaken the structure at this point.

The present invention, therefore, aims to overcome this defect by providing a medial cross brace which is attached to the side walls 7 at a point spaced a considerable distance i5 above the lower edge of the side walls.

The invention aims as a further object to provide a medial cross brace in which the upwardly extending exteriorly disposed extremities act as a protection and guide for the metal toe pieces of hand trucks, to prevent damage to the wooden walls of the crate.

The invention furthermore comprehends a medial cross brace for crates of the character set forth which affords means which embraces the lower edge of the side walls to brace the same against both inward and outward movement, thus holding the crate together, especially those types of crates which n are not provided with end bindings.

" As a further feature, the invention contemplates a medial cross brace having upwardly extending extremities through which one of the division rods may extend to eliminate the necessity of employing separate rivets and the drilling of a separate hole, which tends to weaken the structure.

Other objects of the invention reside in the comparative simplicity of construction of the brace, the economy with which the same may be produced and incorporated in the crate and the general efiiciency derived therefrom.

With the above recited and other objects in view, reference is had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in

5 which there is exhibited one example or embodiment of the invention, while the claims define the actual scopeof the same.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view through a crate equipped with a cross brace constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional plan View thereof taken approximately on the line indicated at 22 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, A designates the side walls of a crate body, and B generally the improved cross brace which is in the nature of a metal 69 strap which is of angular formation in cross section to provide a horizontal flange 5 and a vertical flange 6. At its opposite ends, the vertical flange is disposed horizontally or in the same plane with the horizontal flange 5, and said flattened ends are bent downwardly to provide a shoulder 7, thence outwardly to provide a horizontal offset extremity 8, and thence upwardly to provide a vertical terminal 9 which is spaced from but disposed parallel to the shoulder 7. The shoulder 7, extremity 8 and terminal 9 constitute means for embracing the lower edge of the side wall of the crate, thereby holding the bottom of the same together against relative inward or outward movement. The upwardly extending extremities 9 are preferably disposed within the grooves C formed in the side walls A, and said extremities are apertured adjacent their upper ends to receive therethrough a fastening means extending through corre sponding apertures D in the side walls A, which apertures are at a point remote from the lower edges of the side walls in order not to weaken the structure. In practice, the securing means may consist of one of the trans verse division rods E, the opposite ends of which rod are extended through the apertures D in the side walls and the apertures in the upper ends of the terminals 9, and then riveted or upset as at F. This also eliminates the necessity of drilling extra holes for rivets in the side walls A of the crate body. It will also be obvious that the extremities 8 and terminals 9 protect the wooden crate walls A from wear by the metal toe pieces of hand trucks, and that the portions 7, 8 and 9 serve as a metal guide for the same around-and under the crate. In practice, the bottom rods G of the crate structure will extend through 7190 apertures 10 in the vertical flange 6, which further adds to the rigidity of the bottom rods and braces them intermediate their length.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. A cross brace for bottle crate structures comprising an elongated body portion corresponding in length to the distance between the inner sides of the side walls of the crate and integral substantially U-shaped terminals at the opposite ends of said body portion for embracing the lower edges of the side walls of the crate, each of said terminals presenting inner and outer shoulders engaging With the inner and outer sides of said crate side Walls for-bracing same against inward and outward relative movement.

2. A cross brace for bottle crate structures fashioned from a single piece of strap material and including a body portion corresponding in length to the distance between the inner surfaces of opposite side walls of the crate and integral substantially U-shaped terminal portions at the opposite ends of said body portion for embracing the lower edges of said opposite side walls of the crate, each of said terminals including inner and outer legs disposed in planes parallel to each other and perpendicular to the body portion and a bight portion disposed in a plane parallel to the body portion and offset with respect thereto, the outer leg of each terminal being of greater length than the inner leg and formed with an aperture adjacent its free end to receive a securing element which passes through the outer leg only.

JOHN F. MAURER, JR. 

